Removable head axle



Feb. 5, 1952 c. F. PEARSON REMOVABLE HEAD AXLE Filed March 18, 1946fnvefiiar" 620'? .7 1 662713011 g IQ J 'I km Jz farmgycs. I

Patented Feb. 5, 1952 Carl F. Pearson, Chicago, Ill., assignortolndustrialEqui inient Go'., Chicagog lllz, a corporation of I linoisyassh ,18, 9. 6 5 m. 655 23 b e if at; axlesi""On e piirposeistdprovideovable I1 ad' axle "adaipted" for use with triilfeysf'ifonveyors andother equipment. Another purpose is to provide an eflicientifihe'el 1'moved,

ass in five 'perin Sfildiifidfifil fifties whe ls'ltd 'be grefmovd wthout d sassembling'jthe crane truck a meei and axle assemb d ""fIigureS is a view of a washer employed.

like parts indig'z'atied by "like "bu? hoiitlthespecification andglriwins. Referring'""to"the drawifigsffl gene al 1y in d ir. thfofrmof an' rbeamgna ing er cross"flflanges 2 and a central web; I

The "iinder'stood .thati the lower cross flarige ivesil'as a 'donb letratz'k; adapted to receive hl or rollrat 'ea also that the uppezsii-fface of the cross flange 2 is outwardly inclined at each side as at'4, 5.

'1' Referring to the unitpropen l'illustrate an end-truck 'frameincluding the channels 9 and ""10; which maybe '-suitab1y"c0nnectedtogether by means not indicated in detail; It Will be linderstood thatthe channels 9 and I0, or equiv- "aIntKmmberSJ are preferably solsecuredto- 'era's -tciforn'1 a strong structure which acts.

l qairn. (01. 105-454) My ,ipvention relates "to an improvement in" randwhich ay e many vide an improved 4Q split ring or lock 30 which may bespr n ,2 support, but other connecting means may be used. Since the=tructiirsineach cnanaei may "be i dentica lf-l will eonsi'd em in nwithFigure I w im-snows af'sifigleumt 5 "ti'velydarge scalefTh'e"channer Wis arranged to ave 'its "main web ge'nemny verticany dispr, .7 v B A'reinforcin'g plate r blockd employed, Welded or otherwisesii itably' to the 'outf' face the wet? The meme )0 'and l l areap'ertured' in ah nmen't 'a'gat provided with an "'a l oil fduct' -l l"external-1y fend of the J axlel3 and IiId' iIi' 1a horseshoe Washer 28which efiter the 'sdi table circumferential groov f3 I face of t theapertiire 22* bf'the wheel 20. The inner-j races "2 S' -niaybe opposedmy'a spacer or "abutment-sleeve 32; shown as surrounding the er-iris]3and'abutting at itsoflterhd againstthe -inner facevofthe'channef'lnz Toit'will be understoddtha'tafter the assembly of the 1 of the device.

3 from looking position. The parts may be lubricated through the fittingI5, the duct I6 delivering the lubricant to the bearings, assuming thatthe unit is employed as shown in Figure 2, in an arrangement whereaccess to the inner end of the axle is diflicult and the space limited.If removal of the axle is-necessary, the user can release the nut 35 andthen'thrust the axle I3 endwise inwardly toward the web 3 of the track.There is sufiicient space for the insertion of a hand or tool, formoving the cup retainer 27 out of circumferential alignment with thewasher 28. The washer 28 can then be removed from the groove I8. Inpractice, with the structure as shown, the washer 28, when the parts areinitially assembled, may be inserted downwardly into the slot or grooveI8, with its ends down. This is the position in which it is shown inFigure 1,.in an as-, sembled unit. When the shaft I3 is moved to theleft, referring to the position of the parts in Figure 1, and as soon asthe washer 28 is clear of the retainer 21, it will tend to rotategravitationally until the closed part of the washer is at the bottom.The washer then simply drops .ofi of the end of the axle l3, and theaxle I3 may be withdrawn readily to the right, referring to the positionof the parts as shown in Figure without the necessity of even insertinga tool within the truck. When the axle is being initially inserted, orre-inserted, the necessary washer 23 can be positioned in the groove I8by any suitable tool, .or by the hand, and the parts are then quicklytightened, with the washer 28 in the position in which it is shown inFigure 1. Once the washer has been removed, the axle I3 may be removedendwise through the aperture I2. The assembly may be originally made, orreplaced in its original condition, by similarly reinserting the axle I3through the wheel far enough to permit the application of the horseshoewasher 28. When the parts are again tightened up, by the nut 35, to theposition shown in Figure 1, the washer is again locked by the cupretainer.

Any suitable seals III] for the bearings may be employed. If a drivingconnection for or between the wheels I9 is desired, any suitable gears45 may be employed, suitably secured in relation to the wheels I9.

It will-be realized that, whereas, I have described and illustrated apractical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made inthe size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing fromthe spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawingsto be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, ratherthan as limiting me to my precise showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

With reference to the structure as shown in Figure 2, it is clear thatonly a restricted space is permitted between the vertical web 3 and theinner end of the shaft I3. However, with my invention, I find it easyand practical to release the wheel or roller I9, and to remove, ifnecessary, the axle. I 3, without a general dismantling When the partsare in the normal running position in which they are shown inFigure 1,the nut 35 draws or urges the axle I3 tothe right, referring to theposition in which the parts are shown in Figure '1. The washer againstthe inner ball races, thrustingthe ba1l,.;

races against the spacer 32, and thrusting the spacer 32 against thesupport I I]. It will be understood that the screw threaded end of theshaft I3 may be milled oil or flattened, to permit the simultaneousapplication of holding and turning tools to the axle I3 and the nut 35.If the nut 35 is partly released, the axle I3 may then be pushed-to theleft. The operator can then insert his hand or a tool into the spacebetween the wheel I9 and the web 3, and push the cup 21 inwardly out ofalignment with the horseshoe washer 28. It is then removed, and the axleI3 can be removed to the right, still referring to the position of theparts in Figure 1. This frees the wheel I9 which can be then rolledalong the flange 5 and removed. The wheel is replaced by reversing theabove described process.

Whereas I find a horseshoe washer and cup a convenient lockingarrangement, I can use any suitable substitute therefore. Whereas Iillustrate an outwardly inclined upper flange surface 4 or 5, it will beunderstood that my invention works practically 'with a horizontalsurface flange.

While my invention has other applications, it is particularlyadvantageous for use in crane trucks which ride along tracks having thegeneral form of the I-beam shown in Figure 2. In such trucks the sidemembers 9 and II] are preferably secured permanently together. In anyevent, they are connected to provide a structure of considerablerigidity which need not be taken down and reassembled every time ahearing has to be checked or a wheel replaced. In practice, such trucksoperate along I-beams or tracks in which a minimum clearance is providedbetween the ends of the axles I3 and the opposed surfaces of the web 3of the track. I therefore find it important to employ securing means atthe ends of the axles I3, which have no extension beyond the end of theaxles, which are movable with the axle when the axle is initially movedinwardly through the wheel to release the locking means, and which dropoff gravitationally when released.

It is further important that it should be necessary, in order to releasethe wheel, merely to release the locking member or nut 35, to permit theaxle to be pushed slightly through the wheel. The clearance between theweb 3 of the track and the ends of the axles is sufiicient to permitenough endwise movement of the axles to clear the slot or channel I8from the wheel. If the wh'eel I9 and the cup 21 move inwardly with theaxle, from the web, the hand, or a simple bar or lever,.can be used topush the wheel I9 back toward the web, and to push the cup 21 backagainst the inner race 25. The washer 28 then usually drops by gravityout of the channel I8, or can easily be removed. There is nothing toprevent ready movement of the axle I3 in relation to the Wheel I9 whenthe nut 35 is released, and no connection between the wheel or outerrace and the locking means.

I claim:

In a flanged wheel and truck assembly for cranes and the like, a trucksupporting member having a generally flat vertical body aperturedintermediate its upper and lower edges, a stub shaft extending throughsaid aperture, a flanged wheel mounted for rotation about said shaft atone side of the truck supporting body, said wheel being of a diameternot greater than the height of the truck supporting member, lockingmeans for the opposite end of said shaft at the opposite side of thetruck supporting member, including means formed and adapted to exertforce on the shaft tending to withdrawit through the wheel,anti-frictional bearing means between the wheel and the shaft includinga hearing race surrounding the shaft, spacing means extending betweenthe bearing race and the adjacent face of the truck supporting member,and means for limiting the withdrawal of the shaft through the wheel andfor holding the wheel in predetermined position in relation to the trucksupporting member, including a cup-shaped ring having an inwardlyextending flange abutting the bearing race, the end of the shaft beingcircumferentially channeled, and a U-shaped washer in said channel, saidwasher, and channel being surrounded by said ring when the lockingmeansis in locking position at the opposite end of the shaft, the U-shapedwasher being thereby held in locking position except when the lockingmeans is released and the shaft is moved in an opposite directionthrough the wheel, the U-shaped washer loosely penetrating the channelin the shaft and being free to drop gravitationally out of contact withthe shaft when the cup-shaped ring and the circumferential channel areout of alignment with each other.

CARL F. PEARSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS

